This month has been bloody busy I'll tell ya. Sunday the first we
played out in Jacksonport for the Newport Presbyterian church folk. Alan
Ford is the minister there, and we play at this church service/picnic every year
and really enjoy the hosptitality. Especially those little fried pies.

The following weekend went up to St. Louis. On Friday night we played
at a torch lighting ceremony in Forest Park in preparation for the subsequent
games on Saturday. We also did some incidental music over by the
entertainment tent as The Tannehill Weavers were getting set up for their show.
The crowd was most appreciative, and then we got to hear The Tannies, who were
great. It was really exciting as we barely got there on time. We
literally ran to our starting spot as the minister was giving the invocation,
and got in place just as she finished. Thank goodness it was a long
prayer. And driving back to the hotel I missed the last exit for Missouri
and wound up in East St. Louis. Exciting for young Dean. Very exotic
locale. We got up Saturday morning and returned to the park and had a good
day. The band won the Grade IV contest, challenged up and came in thrid in
the Grade III, and Vince Moore won Piper of the Day. Some of our other
soloists also managed prizes. Sunday morning we rose early and headed for
the Rock church in Imperial and did a service for our friend Reverend Liz, and
then back to Batesville. Here are some photos courtesy of DM Wally
Hightower.

I had to get up Monday and fly to Dallas for four days of conference, got
home Thursday night and left Friday morning for Baltimore for the EUSPBA Grade
III Championship and an EC meeting, and then got home Monday morning at 1:30AM
and had to rise at 5:00 to join Jimmy for a trip to Little Rock for a TV
appearance on KATV. He had given the band the week off after St. Louis,
but I just didn't feel rested.

We are back on our regular schedule of practices and are working on some new
material for spring. This weekend is homecoming. We have a full
slate of events to keep us occupied.